Fabric printing machine



March 24, 1936. MAG'ATH FABRIC PRINTING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1955 INVENTOR [5 4,4 c /Z46ATH 5 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY March 24, 1936.

I. MAGATH FABRIC PRINTING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l NV E NTOR [5/4/10 /7/l6A 7/1 QW/L ATTORN EY March 24, 1936. MAGATH 2,035,137

FABRIC PRINTING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 no 1 4c,

. ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 24, 1936 UNITED STATES FABRIC PRINTING MACHINE Isaac Magath, Bronx, N. Y., assignor to. Uni-Print- Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 6, 1935, Serial No. 9,537

'1 Claims.

This invention relates to fabric printing machines, and more particularly to a polychromatic machine which prints a varicolored design in a single operation. In the past such machines have been of the flat bed type with all the inherent dis-advantages of slow operation and cumbersome mechanical structure. This invention presents a rotary machine of high capacity and semi-automatic operation which requires a minimum of supervision.

An object of this invention is to provide a polychromatic printing machine which is more efficient in operation and economical in maintenance.

Another object is to provide a machine having a superior uniformity of product.

Still another object is to present a machine which is more easily operated and controlled.

A further object is to present a machine which is semi-automatic in operation and does not require highly skilled operating personnel.

Other objects and advantages will in part be stated and in part be obvious when the following specification is read in connection with the drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the machine, with the drying oven and adjacent frame members indicated in fragmentary form to permit a compact single view of the entire machine; Fig. 2 is a detail view of the printing mechanism and upper limit switch control; Fig. 3 is a view complementary to Fig. 2, showing the far side of the apparatus including a lower limit switch control; Fig. 4 is a schematic wiring diagram of the control system; and Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2, and showing in detail the belt tension mechanism.

Referring in more detail to Fig. 1, the numeral i represents the frame of the machine. Mounted on the extreme right of the machine in suitable bearings is a roll of fabric 2 to be printed. This fabric is threaded through the machine in the following manner. It is first trained under the deflecting roller 3 and thence across the upper surface of a dampening roller 4. The surface of the dampening roller 4 is covered with any suitable moisture retaining fabric as flannel, and is maintained at the proper degree of moisture by the pickup roller 5 which is in contact therewith. The roller 5 is in contact with the surface of water contained in the tank 6. Any desired means of maintaining a constant water level in the tank 6 may be employed. From the dampening roller 4 the fabric 2 is led under a flannel covered pressure roller 1 which insures complete moisture penetration of the fabric. The degree of pressure to suit varying fabrics is regulated by lateral adjustment of the pressure roller controlled by crank 8. The fabric 2 is. then led to an adjustable centering roller 9 which places it in proper alignment for further operations Vertically adjustable supports H! are positioned at each end of the centering roller 9' and if for any reason the fabric 2 begins tomove sideways and toward one end of the roller, that end is raised sufliciently to check the motion. A deflector roller l I next receives the fabric 2', and allows it to be trained around a considerable portion of a wrinkle removing roller I2. These wrinkle removes are well known in the art and comprise two sets of cam-operated slats which separate longitudinally during a portion of revolution, thus exerting a stretching and flattening effect. The

fabric 2 then receives a backing material or printing blanket l3 and advances to the printing stage. The course of the printing blanket l3 through the machine and the details of the printing stagewill later be explained in full. A drying oven 14, shown in fragmentary form, directs heated air in contact with the freshly printed fabric}, re-

moving all excess moisture and permitting the fabric to be frictionally gripped by the rubber covered feed roller l5. This feed roller is posi-- tively driven and may be adjustable in height. Two driven feed rollers I6 and- IT, likewise rubber covered and mounted for adjustable pressure contact, receive the fabric 2 and pull it through the machine. device may be attached to the machine and driven therefrom. In reeling the printed fabric it is desirable to interpose a layer of cheesecloth or similar material between the layers. For this purpose a roll l8 of such material is supported on the uprights carrying the feed rolls I6 and I1.

The printing blanket I3 is preferably a durable cloth known to the trade as grey. A roll of this material is supported between two frame uprights toward the right end of the machine as illustrated. The blanket is trained under a deflecting roller l9 and upward to an adjustable tension device indicated broadly as I The tension device is well known, forming no Any suitable winding and reeling part of this invention, and may briefly bestated i as comprisingtwo parallel bars fixedly mounted on rotatablyjournaled end plates. The blanket I3 is passed over' one bar and under the other and the assembly may be rotated to impose the desired tension and latched in place by the dog 2|. The blanket then advances to the printing stage where it underlies and supports the fabric 2 during the printing process. At the far side of the printing stage, the blanket 13 is trained downwardly around the deflecting roller 22 and along the underside of oven I4 to another deflecting roller 23, whence it goes between driven feed rollers 24 and 25 which pull it through the machine and deliver it to suitable reeling apparatus. not shown.

The various feed rolls are synchronized as to speed in the following manner; A main motor 26 drives a suitable reducing gear 21 carrying a sprocket. A main drive chain 28 is led to a sprocket on feed roller I5. Trained around suit: able sprockets on feed rollers l5, I1 and 25 is another connecting drive chain' 29. The roller l6 may be gear driven from roller l1, and the roller 24 likewise from roller 25. By suitable gear ratios all feed rollers are driven at the same speed, thus insuring that the fabric 2 and blanket 3 are drawn through the machine at the same speed and without relative displacement.

The printing stage of the machine is shown in detail in Fig. 2 which represents a side view thereof. As the opposite side of the stage duplicates the showing of Fig. 2 with the exception of the lower limit switch shown in Fig. 3, a description of the mechanical details of Fig. 2 will sufiice for the entire stage.

Mounted on the longitudinal members of frame I are vertical guide rails 30 and 3 I. Between the guide rails at the upper end thereof is supported a printing roller 32 which may be of the simultaneous polychromatic printing type described in the copending application of Serge Tchechonin, Serial No. 609,994. A supporting bearing 33 is slidably mounted between guide rails 36 and 3|, and removably attached thereto by pin 34 is an elevator rack member 35. The lower end of the rack 35 meshes with a gear wheel 36, supported by pinion shaft 31 to which is also fixed a sprocket 38. The sprocket 38 is driven by a chain 39 which is trained around a speedreducingsprocket 40 fixedly attached to a larger sprocket 4|. The drive chain 39 carries a projection 42 which trips an upper limit switch 43, controlling the elevator motor and regulating the upward distance of travel of rack 35 and associated printing roller 32. A drive chain 44 connects the sprocket 4| with a speed reducing gear 45 driven by the elevator motor 46. As before stated, the respective sides of the printing stage are essentially similar and the other side of the machine as shown in Fig. 3 has a drive chain 39a corresponding to 39, a trip projection 42a corresponding to 42, and a limit switch 43a corresponding to 43. However, the far side limit switch imposes a downward limit of travel upon printing roller 32. The elevating motor 46 is reversible and is controlled by a system to be later described.

Transversely mounted on the upper longitudinal members of frame I are rollers 41 and 48, as shown in Fig. 2, which cooperate with the vertically adjustable roller 49 in supporting a wide belt 59. In order to properly grip the belt 50, the rollers 47, 48 and 49 may all be rubber covered, or any combination thereof may be so covered. The belt 50 may be of a relatively heavy rubberized fabric, and extends across the major portion of the supporting rollers to form a printing bed which supports the fabric 2 during the printing operation. The lower belt roller 49 controls the belt tension and may be adjusted vertically at either end to offset the tendency of the belt 50 to creep laterally. A bearing 5| supports the roller 49 and is slidably mounted between the guide rails 30 and 3|. Fixed to the bearing 5| and projecting downwardly therefrom is a tension shaft 52, best illustrated in Fig. 5, which is arranged to slide vertically through the tension adjusting bushing 53. The bushing 53 is supported by a frame bearing 54 and slides vertically therein. The lower end of the tension shaft 52 projects through the bushing 53 and is threaded to receive a stop member in the form of a handwheel. When the printing roller 32 is lowered in printing position, the upper surface of the belt 56 is depressed and the lower belt roller 49 is accordingly lifted. The amount of vertical displacement is regulated by the stop member 55 on tension shaft 52 striking against the frame bearing 54 or against the end of bushing 53. In case the belt 58 has a tendency to creep sideways on the roller 49, the stop member 55 may be screwed farther up on the shaft 52. Since the equivalent stop member on the far side of the machine is unchanged, the roller 49 will be held slightly out of true horizontal position with the lower end in the direction of the creep and thus counteract the tendency. Once this adjustment is made, the stop member 55 remains in that position.

The tension of belt 56 is regulated by the apparatus to be described, and without affecting the foregoing belt creepage adjustment. The tension adjusting bushing 53 has an interior key, shown in Fig. 5, which cooperates with a vertical keyway in tension shaft 52 to prevent rotational movement while permitting a vertical movement which is obtained as follows: A handwheel shaft 56 is journaled in the frame I and carries a sprocket wheel 51 which is connected by a chain 58 with a sprocket wheel 59. Stationary fingers 66 are mounted on guide rails 36 and 3| and cooperate with the grooved hub of sprocket 59 to rotatably support it while preventing any vertical motion. The hub of sprocket 59 is provided with interior threads which cooperate with the threading on the upper end of the bushing 53. To exert tension on belt 50, the sprocket 59 is rotated by the handwheel shaft 56, causing the Y Motor control system Fig. 4 shows the wiring diagram of the control system employed on the machine previously shown and explained. Parts shown in Fig. 4 and prior figures are identifiedby like reference characters.

When the various elements are in the position shown in Fig. 4, the machine is shut down with the printing roller 32 in the elevated position as shown in Fig. 1. Duplicate control switch equipment is placed on either side of the machine for greater convenience of operation. To start the machine, the main switches on the 220 volt D. C. lines are closed and either starting button depressed. Current flows to the reversible elevator motor 46 through a lead 62 and contacts 63 of the spring biased,. solenoid-operated reversing switch 64. A shunt circuit 65 around the contacts 63 supplies field current for the motor. After passing through the contacts 63 and the motor armature, the current is led to contacts 66 on the reversing switch 64. A lead 61 conducts the current to contacts 68 operated by the spring biased solenoid relay 69, from whence it returns to the other side of the D. C. line. Upon the start of the elevator motor 46 and the downward movement of the printing roller 32 of Fig. l,-

to its spring bias and the. removal of the operating projection 42 by the drive chain. The elevator motor 46 continues operation by means of current flow through one side of the upper limit switch until printing roller 32 reaches a lower limit determined by projection 42a closing the lower limit switch 43a. Immediately upon the closing of the lower limit switch, the main drive motor 26 is started, the elevator motor 46 is stopped, and the reversing switch 64 is set to reverse the motor 36 during its next operating period. This is accomplished by completing an A. C. circuit through lower limit switch 43a, and relay H which energizes the main motor 26. Simultaneously another A. C. circuit is set up through lower limit switch 43a, the normally closed stop switches, and the operating coil of the relay 69. Through operation of relay 69, contacts 68 open and break the elevating motor circuit, while contacts 70 close and establish an A. C. circuit through the operating coil of reversing switch 64 and a closed contact of the upper limit switch 43. Operation of the reversing switch 64 breaks contacts 63 and 66 of the elevator motor armature circuit, and. closes contacts l2 and 13 to reverse the direction of current flow through the armature. The contacts 14 close a parallel holding circuit for the coil of the reversing switch 64. The elevator motor 46 cannot start until the contacts 68 of the relay 69 are closed, it being kept in mind that all relay coils are energized during operation of the main drive motor 26.

To stop the machine, the stop switch is opened, and the A. C. circuit through the coil of relay 69 is broken. The spring bias closes contacts 68 and completes the reversed armature circuit of the elevator motor 46. The printing roller 32 of Fig. 1 begins to rise and the lower limit switch 43a opens due to removal of the projection 42: by travel of the elevator drive chain 39a. The lower limit switch 43a. opens practically simultaneously with the starting of the elevator motor 46 and breaks the A. C. circuit through relay H which opens the circuit of the main drive motor 26. The elevator motor 46 continues to function until the printing roller 32 is fully elevated and the upper limit switch 43 has operated to break the circuit and restore the condition shown in Fig. 4. It will be observed that when the upper limit switch is open, the A. C. circuit through the coil of the reversing switch 64 is broken, and the biasing spring operates to close reversing contacts 63 and 66 of the elevator motor armature circuit.

It frequently occurs that in order to properly position fabric while the printing roller 32 is elevated, it becomes necessary to operate the main drive motor 26 momentarily. In order to accomplish this an auxiliary A. C. circuit is completed through the intermittent start switch and relay H, which closes the main motor circuit without affecting the balance of the apparatus.

While the control system is shown and explained as employing both 220 volt D. C. and 110 volt A. C., it will be apparent that it might readily be designed to operate on any type of power current.

After the fabric is properly positioned on the machine and the printing operation begun, very little further attention is necessary. When the machine is stopped, the printing roller 32 is automatically raised from the fabric to prevent over absorption and smearing of the colors.

It will be apparent that many changes and modifications may be made by anyone skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.

I claim:--

1. In a fabric printing machine, a main driving motor, means connected with said motor for moving a fabric to be printed, a printing roller movable into and out of contact with said fabric, an auxiliary motor for elevating and lowering said roller, and automatic control means for preventing simultaneous operation of said motors.

2. In a fabric printing machine, a main driving motor, means connected with said motor for moving a fabric to be printed, a printing roller movable into and out of contact with said fabric, an auxiliary motor for elevating and lowering said roller, a relay circuit for controlling the operation of said auxiliary motor, whereby said auxiliary motor may be operated only when said main motor is at rest.

3. In a fabric printing machine, a main driving motor, means connected with said mot-or for moving a fabric to be printed, a printing roller movable into and out of contact with said fabric, an auxiliary motor for elevating and lowering said roller, and automatic means including a relay circuit for elevating said roller subsequent to the stopping of said main motor.

4. In a fabric printing machine, a main driving motor, means connected. with said motor for moving a fabric to be printed, a printing roller vertically movable into and out of contact with said fabric, a reversible auxiliary motor for elevating and lowering said roller, a reversing switch electrically connected to said auxiliary motor, and automatic means including a relay circuit for actuating said switch after said roller reaches a limit of travel.

5. In a fabric-printing machine, a main driving motor, means connected with said motor for moving a fabric to be printed, a printing roller vertically movable into and out of contact with said fabric, a reversible auxiliary motor for elevating and lowering said roller, a reversing switch electrically-connected to said auxiliary motor, and automatic means including a relay circuit for actuating said switch after said roller reaches either limit of travel.

6. In a fabric printing machine, a main driving motor, means connected with said motor for moving a fabric to be printed, a printing roller vertically movable into and out of contact with said fabric, an auxiliary motor for elevating and lowering said roller, and automatic means including a relay circuit for disconnecting said auxiliary motor and starting said main motor when said roller reaches a lower limit of travel.

'7. In a fabric printing machine, a main driving motor, means connected with said motor for moving a fabric to be printed, a printing roller vertically movable into and out of contact with said fabric, a reversible auxiliary motor for elevating and lowering said roller, a reversing switch electrically connected to said auxiliary motor, and automatic means including a relay circuit for disconnecting said auxiliary motor, actuating said reversing switch, and starting said main motor when said roller reaches a lower limit of travel.

ISAAC MAGATH. 

